Patrick O'Donovan, TD

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy, Paudie Coffey, has welcomed news from the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, that an allocation of €450,000 has been awarded to Dunmore East Harbour under the 2013 Fishery Harbour and Coastal Infrastructure Development Programme. Deputy Coffey said that this funding will allow for the slipway on the West Wharf at Dunmore East Harbour to be widened, therefore improving the facilities at the harbour.

Laois TD Charlie Flanagan has written to the National Transport Authority and Bus Eireann seeking clarification following reports that the X8 route from Portlaoise to Cork is to be removed

Laois TD Charlie Flanagan has welcomed the reduction in fees payable for contractor licences issued by the Private Security Authority. The PSA has to date licensed contractors in the cash in transit, door supervisor, security guarding and installer of security equipment sectors.

Laois/Offaly TD and Fine Gael Chairman Charlie Flanagan has said that the publication of a policy and planning framework to guide An Bord Pleanala when considering wind energy export proposals will ensure that local communities in the Midlands can directly feed into a national policy for wind export.

Health Minister James Reilly TD rejected a media claim today (31 July) that he had forced a hike in the cost of private health insurance by the way in which levies were set for Community Rating.

Fine Gael Waterford Deputy, Paudie Coffey TD, has said that the number of public service cards that have been issued is encouraging and will hopefully lead to a reduction in the amount of fraud in the social protection system. In a response to a PQ to Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, Deputy Coffey determined that more than 260,000 cards had been issued so far to people in every county across Ireland (see link to PQ response below) and said that he was hopeful that there will be even a greater roll-out of the cards in coming months.

Fine Gael Cork North Central Deputy, Áine Collins has welcomed the approval given by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, for Cork County Council’s design proposals for the Millstreet Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade. The Council will now proceed with preparing the contract documents with a view to seeking tenders as soon as possible.

In a few short months, Ireland will be the first Eurozone country to successfully emerge from a bailout programme. That will be an important moment for our country for many reasons, not least because to be a real republic, Ireland must be a sovereign republic.

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which the tourism industry has grown so far in 2013; the expectations for the remainder of the year...